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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

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SMC Design and Planning

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United Kingdom
Bishops Stortford
SMC Design and Planning

Architectural drawing services and planning applications for domestic projects

25/06/2025

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻?

Projects that typically require Full Planning Permission are:

- Some side extensions
- Some double storey extensions
- Rear extensions that extend beyond the original property by more than 3m
- Extensions that are within 2m of a boundary on a highway
- Changing the use of a building
- Extensions/alterations that take up more than 50% of the area around the original building

If your vision does not tick any of the above, the likelihood is that you will not require any permission and you may be able to complete your project under something called Permitted Development. If this is the case, I can just provide you with some accurate drawings for your own records and to send to your builders and other tradesmen that may require them!

During your initial design consultation, I will be able to give you a better idea of the type of planning application, if any, that you will have to obtain.

Book your free consultation with me today 👇🏻

19/06/2025

Take full advantage of my availability for Consultations before the kids break up! ☀️

Saturdays are now available too, since the football season has ended until September 🙌🏻 These do, however, need to be booked with plenty of notice.

18/06/2025

One of 5 options I gave the client for a new front porch 🏡

A simple brief but one that will change a lot for them in their day to day life!

✔️Keeping the old front door, but positioning the new one at the top of the original steps
✔️A space for coats and shoes, to free up the entryway to the main house
✔️A pitched roof if possible
✔️Potential oak beam design (as shown in a screenshot in the comments that was sent to me during the design process)
✔️Veer away from the cladding used previously, so I incorporated the brickwork used in the original build, to be painted white to match the front of the house

16/06/2025

How long does the Feasibility process take?

Design Consultations typically take between 30 – 60 minutes.

Site Survey can take anywhere up to 3 hours.

Feasibility Drawings:
I aim to get these emailed to you within 10 working days from the date of the Site Survey.

Planning process:
This can take between 8-12 weeks from the application date for a decision. This all depends on the time of year and other factors within the Planning Department, but I will keep you up to date with any correspondence throughout the process, and do all the chasing for you if needs be!

In a nutshell, from start to finish this whole process can take any time between 2-12 weeks!

22/05/2025

Amending some PDF plans to reflect changes made in the building, in order for new EPCs to be generated ✏️

I live for this kind of organised chaos 😂

17/03/2025

I will take your project from the initial concept right through to the start of your build!

The full Design & Planning process, step by step;

- Design Consultation to discuss your vision and requirements or just to advise you on what you could potentially do to enhance your home.
- Fee Proposal document emailed to you, to be agreed and signed off prior to booking your site survey. This explains every step in full detail, as well as a breakdown of the cost.
- Full Site Survey where I'll measure up your home in order to move on to the following step
- Production of floor plans and elevations of the existing property
- Production of proposed floor plans, elevations, sections, block plan and location plan of your proposed design, so you can see it in scale and context and visualise it properly
- Any additional proposals, if requested and agreed in the Fee Proposal
- Any amendments you’d like to make to the final drawings
- All documents sent to you via email or hard copy (A3 or A1 size available)
- Application for Planning Permission or Lawful Development Certificate, depending on the scope of your project
- Production of Building Regulations, if required, as well as Structural Engineer's drawings

Whilst awaiting confirmation from the Local Planning Authority, you are free to take the completed drawings to any builders you have in mind to obtain quotes for the build.

I have the details of reliable builders I work with, that I can give you at this point or indeed any time during the full process if you wish to speak with them to speed things up and get quotes in place etc.

I am able to give you an expected decision date from the Local Authority, and would highly recommend asking your builder to pencil this in as a potential start date for your build!

15/03/2025

A busy day surveying for an extension on a bungalow in Saffron Walden 🏡

The site survey follows on from your initial design consultation & agreed fee proposal...

A detailed survey where I'll measure your home and surrounding area from top to bottom, front to back, inside out! It enables me to go back and produce accurate CAD floor plans, elevations, sections and site plans, in order to show you your proposal accurately, to scale and in context.

Timescale: this one took me around 3 hours 🕑

I have one more available Saturday appointment this month - WhatsApp me for enquiries!

15/03/2025

Permitted Development rights allow you to improve and make alterations to your home 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 the need to apply for Planning Permission from your Local Authority.

There are certain requirements that should be met to ensure your build falls under Permitted Development, including;
Height,
Total enlargement,
Highways,
Location,
Neighbours and
Original building.
All details of which will be obtained during the Site Survey.

Whether your alteration involves an extension, porch, driveway, change in roof, dormer windows, skylights, chimney or flues, I will usually advise my clients to apply for a 𝙇𝙖𝙬𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚. This is a document that confirms that your Local Authority is satisfied that your project falls within Permitted Development. A good document to have, should you wish to sell your property in the future!

It is important to note that in some areas, the Local Authority has 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 Permitted Development rights, which means all alterations require 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 Planning Permission, but I will advise you of this at the time of your Survey.

I take care of all the paperwork for the above works, as well as all correspondence with the relevant Authorities as part of my service - so you don’t have to!

21/02/2025

Thinking about extending or making alterations to your home but unsure if/how you should go about it?

Book in for a free, no obligation chat to discuss your options; find out whether or not you'd need any kind of planning permission; and how the process works from concept right through to breaking ground!

You can also opt to have one of my trusted builders present to talk in more detail about materials, build process and ballpark figures 🏡

March availability 👇🏻

30/01/2025

This industry is in our veins 😅

Please like and follow my brother and his business - he's had a passion for carpentry for as long as I can remember 🙏🏻

29/01/2025

I offer a FREE design consultation service!

A simple, no obligation chat about the dreams and visions you have for your home; whether or not it would be feasible; if you would need any kind of permission; and my advice (if needed) to help improve and pass your design 😊

You can then make an informed decision and proceed to book in for your site survey to kick the design & planning process off! 🏡

23/01/2025

Remaining availability for January!

I can offer weekend consultations too - Just ask 😊

✏️🏡

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Bishops Stortford

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447563549623

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